


Love in Equal Measure

by AlwaysJohn



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: And More Fluff, Caretaking, Fluff, Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-18
Updated: 2020-03-18
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:27:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23205454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlwaysJohn/pseuds/AlwaysJohn
Summary: Just a little something...
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes & John Watson
Comments: 14
Kudos: 22





	Love in Equal Measure

**Author's Note:**

> For notjustmom, scrub456, PatPrecieux

The lamp beside the smiley face bathed the sitting room in its familiar, murky glow and the fire in the grate, just barely embers now, was hushed and still. Home at last.

Sherlock paused at the door, his eyes drawn immediately to the dusky, John-shaped shadow huddled beneath a blanket in the chair that would forever be his. 

Your shoulder will be stiff, Sherlock mused to himself. ”Can’t have that,” he whispered, though John was oblivious to his presence. “You’ll be grumpier than usual in the morning,” a wisp of a smile tilting his lips.

Abandoning his shoes and coat, Sherlock padded across the floor to kneel in front of the chair.

Feathering one finger along a prickly cheek, Sherlock leaned in to whisper his name. “John?” Apparently so deep that his voice did not permeate the veil of slumber, he pressed a gentle kiss to his doctor’s lips. 

At the three-fold aroma of John’s minty toothpaste, his subtle, earthy soap and the just John of his skin, oh, and tea, of course, Sherlock took in the full essence of the man he loved with every cell of his being.

With the tiniest of twitches and a deeply inhaled breath, John’s eyes, the mercurial combination of blue, gray, and brown with flecks of gold and slowly dissipating sleep gazed back at him. Central heterochromia, his scientific brain supplied, but his heart said simply, _magical_

“Extraordinary.”

“Hm?”

“You are extraordinary, John Watson.”

“No,” John insisted, his voice, soft and a bit rough from sleep.

“Yes,” Sherlock contradicted.

John, sighed, returning his kiss. “Only to you.”

Sherlock’s gentle smile, the one he saved for John alone, graced his lips.

“You should be asleep by now.”

“Wanta wait for you,” John replied in a small voice. 

“Well, I’m here now, time for bed, up you get.”

Sherlock wrapped his arms around John and lifted him to his feet. With a small groan, his doctor leaned his head against Sherlock’s sternum. 

“I’m so tired.”

“I know,” Sherlock acknowledged, guiding John toward their bedroom. “A good night’s sleep is what you need right now.”

Once John was tucked beneath the duvet, Sherlock sat with him a bit, holding his hand. As his breathing evened out and he slipped back toward sleep, Sherlock pressed a kiss to John’s forehead and stood to move away to let him sleep.

“Don’t go. Will you stay with me?”

“I need to shower, John. I’ll hurry. Ten minutes, I promise.”

All right,” John murmured, “I’ll wait for you.”

Sherlock’s heart fluttered in his chest. He knew John would be asleep when he returned. He ruffled his fair hair, leaning down to kiss his forehead. At the door to the bath, he turned to look at John one more time. 

“The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak,” Sherlock whispered in a voice that was barely a breath. 

It was the quickest shower and dry-off of his entire life. The soft cotton pyjamas John had chosen for him not long ago swaddled him in comfort and warmth. He wiggled his toes in the fuzzy socks with the skulls John had bought on a whim brought on a chuckle.

John was sound asleep when he approached the bed. Sherlock was certain that as tired as he was, John would not wake when he slipped beneath the duvet. 

For long minutes, Sherlock gazed in wonder at John’s beloved face, and how fortunate he was to be loved so deeply by this man beside him. And how fortunate he was to be able to return that love in equal measure. Never had he imagined such a thing, but in his heart he knew it was true. 

“‘Bout time you washed up. Been waitin’ forever,” John whispered, snuggling closer, resting his head on Sherlock’s shoulder.

“Love you”

“And I, you,” he said against John’s forehead as he held him close. “To the depths of my soul, John.”

John chuckled softly against his neck, pressing a kiss to his jaw.

“What?”

“I always knew there was a romantic man inside of you,” John murmured, resting his hand over Sherlock’s heart.

“For you, John, only and always for you.”

John slipped over the edge of sleep then, his body going boneless against him.

“Wait for me, John.”

Lifting John’s chin to press a gentle kiss to his mouth, he curled his fingers around the smaller hand, which still lay over his heart, and followed.


End file.
